The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-29

The Legend OF the White Flower
With Crimson n cart.
IN THE cHoRRo MOUNTAIN
From the San Francisco Examiner.


ually on the south, west and north sides, ant
the top is surmounted by cone-shaped pile o
rocks. The cone on the east side has the ap
! pearance of having been cut in two, and it
| perpendicular face starts almost out Of the val
| ley 1t is many hundred feet from the foot Il
| the top of the face Of this wall Of granite, the
| surface of which is broken here and there by
sharp-pointed crags. Perched on the top, an(
| pointing over the precipice, is huge fiat-tol
| boulder that seems TO threaten the trayele
| who passes at the foot of the mountain.
Several years ago, while journeying in tina
| section, / made the ascent Of the natural mon
| ument, having for my guide half-breed Mexi
can. On the top OF the cliff my eye fell on a
| small peculiar flower that bloomed from cleft
| in the rocks. 1t was tiny white Hover, with
crimson center shaped like heart-the only
| sign Of vegetation that could be seen there.
/ reached ont my hand to pluck one Of
| them to examine it, as it was curiosity
| to me- when the half-brced sprang toward
me and exclaimed excitedly in Spanish:
"Do not touch 1t Do not pull It'll IL is
bad luck Don't you know but, no you
don't You would rather put your hand on a
fiery coal than touch the drop Of blood from
The heart Of the holy father. No. you do not
know the story"
Indeed I do not" replied "Tell it to
me" And far up there he told me in his
quaint way the tradition of Chorro mountain,
and the little white flowcret with its heart Of
crimson.
at was Father Junipero Sierra. rest to his
soul who founded the missiOnof san Luis Obs
20. After leaving q small handful of soldiers
10 protect the church and the padres, the
good man went his way and the mission pros
pcrcd.
cat last came another band OF missionaries
from the City OF Mexico. and with them more
soldiers. These went to work with great zeal
| to make more converts among the peaceable
! Indians, and soon many were set TO work and
! taught to till the land. They missed the lib
| erty that they had been used to, and erelong
| there was q revolt, which resulted in great
| bloodshed and almost in the destruction OF
| Mission San Luis Obispo.
| "The leading spirit among the disconnected
/ was one named ut his baptism Pedro. He was
darker in color, heavier built and more vicious
! than any other man in the colony. His sharp
bone dagger had more than once been sheathed
in human flesh, and, while the disconnected
Indians recognized him as their leader they
also feared HIM as a reptile.
''Padre Francis was one of the most sincere
and Jealous OF those who faced the dangers of
the deep to come from Spain, and the hard
ships and perls of a journey on foot through
an unexplored region to reach his field of
labor.
"This man Of God was well beloved by most
of the EMISSION Indians because of his good
ness OF heart and his kind, gentle ways. Pedro
saw in him his greatest enemy as too many
he resolved that Padre Francis must die before
revolt could be successful
Padre Francis often took long pilgrimages
into the country, and many said that he was
in search OF yellow gold and shining silver,
which even to this day are believed to be hid
in these great mountains. One day the good
padre went forth.
'Pedro left the mission by stealth soonaf-
ter and did not come back till late in the day.
Padre Francis aid not come back, and inquiry
l. + Il a. ~. a.
OF the soldiers among the Indians AT last
they found Pedro and learned Of his absence
| and late return, and they found blood on his
| hand and on his brecch-cloth.
GLOW came il there2' they asked.
" j killed deer answered Pedro, sullenly.
"fWhcre is the skin and meat? His arrows
| will be red with blood-bring them' said the
| captain.
| ono fresh blood-marll was on the arrow
heads and Pedro was put in the dungeon TIL
the morn.
AT the first break of day a body OF soldiers
took Pedro and three friendly Indian traiers,
and followed the accused mans tracks. They
led TO this very mountain and Pedro became
greatly agitatcd and had 10 0e dragged along
Up the tracks led. They find more foot
prints, and see they We're made by the sandled
toet OF priest. They, too, led zap, over bOul-
derS, through brush, but ever mp and to the
top of the mountain.
''At last they reach the top, and look around.
W hat ~ IL tllsL tEitA Stt lluoii- II -
Francis at prayer alone on the mountain, as
near as mortal man can get TO heaven. lie
knecls beside the huge boulder, his hands
clasped before him, his head resting on the
cold, hard rock. DO not disturb his holy
meditation ana supplications, as his spirit
reaches UP to the Father of all
"Eut how still he isl No movement is de-
teetcd by the searchcrs who stand with uncoy-
cred heads.
The captain approaches reverentially. but
4. ft,aHl 10
say SO, Ncs. dead, and as cold us the rock
against which he kncels
WHAT'S this, blood? And this2 1t Is a
knife, bone dagger, red with the heart blood
OF the priest. OH, horrorl Tie has been muir
dered
"The Indian Pedro stands trembling like q
leaf, and As his cyo falls ON his bloody bone
dagger, he tears himself loose from his captors
and springs forward 10 secure the murderous
weapon. He reaches out his hand, but rccoilS
With u cry of terror. The poisonous fangs of a
ratilennkc that lies quiet and blind, rs they
Ell do in the fall, have pierced his flesh. He
bounds backward Il step. Ills foot strikes Oh Il
rolling rock, and with a Shrek ho goes over
thg DIZZY precipice. Wildly graSpng at the
empty air he goes down, down, down, bound
ing from craS 30 ledge, still he falls
Look Is the murderer n Sh2pelcss mass
NJ the foot OF the rocks? No; he strikes ON a
ledge, and is held there by a pointed crag half
way down the cliff. And see, the maugled
Thus God aycugcs the death Of his minister.
He has fed the murderer 5 carcass TO the Vul-
lures Touderly the body Of the dead padre is
taken back to the mission and buried in the
garden.
"Senor, Il you will take this rope and go to
the edge OF the clim You can see the skeleton
OF Pedro still on the ledge. whore his white
bones have lain these many years
did rs directed and saw what appeared 10
I've The bones of human body, but ON bringing
my field glass 20 bear upon the place l say
that 1t was the out-croppng of a stratum OF
light colored granite close by the vulturcS nest
"But tho little white flower with the red
heart. what OF it?' l asked
IL win Toll. Padre Francis was beloved
dearly by nyof the simple mission Indians,
and whom peace was restored, they often made
pilgrimaSeS TO this very spot 10 pray for the
ropoSc OF the good mans soul. They founC
here in the fan of the year this flower grow
ing from the very rock whereon the priest
hearts blood loll 1t does not grow on an.
other mountain but blooms here year afte
year, and always in the late summer and early
| fall, Several have tried TO plant it in Other
| soils, hut it will not grow, and he who tries L
make the emblem Cf the heart blood Of thu
| priest bloom simply 10 please the eye Away
| has had luck. Senior, you know the history o
| the towel and the Legend Of the mountain"